First production AW609 tiltrotor takes flight

The Oct. 13 maiden flight of Leonardo Helicopter’s (Rome, Italy) AW609 production aircraft in Philadelphia set a major milestone for what is reported to be the world’s first multirole tiltrotor program, which is designed to redefine a range of commercial and public services. The aircraft introduces new capabilities under a dedicated “powered lift category” civil certification now under development. Designated AC5, the aircraft performed as expected in its initial in-flight evaluation of systems and general handling. 

The production aircraft — featuring an aluminum fuselage, with a composite skin, wings and nacelles — joins a prototype based in the U.S. and two more located in Italy, all currently involved in the last stages of testing activities ahead of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. AC5 will be retained by Leonardo, contributing to customer demonstrations, mission capability evaluation and expansion, and supporting the manufacturer and the operators in the transition from the developmental to the operational phase once on the market. Currently, three customers’ production aircraft are on the dedicated final assembly line at various stages of construction in Philadelphia. 

“This achievement adds to several milestones for the AW609 program over the last year, through its technical progress and during its public appearances,” Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director, Leonardo Helicopters, says. “Together this testifies the level of maturity this groundbreaking program has reached and our credentials to pioneer in the emerging fast rotorcraft domain. I thank our integrated team of skilled and committed people across our geographies for making all of this possible, as they continue to work towards certification.”   

Earlier this year, the AW609 launch customer Bristow Group (Houston, Texas, U.S.), participated in a demonstration flight in Philadelphia. marking an important milestone to introduce the AW609 aircraft into service. Also, in March 2022, the AW609 user base was further expanded with the addition of an undisclosed, long-established European operator of Leonardo’s helicopters that aims to introduce four tiltrotors to carry out a range of passenger transport missions supporting its point-to-point operations worldwide.

The AW609 is said to provide rotorcraft-like versatility and airplane-like performance. Its capabilities include fast point-to-point transportation at long ranges, whether connecting city centers or providing timely access to remote locations. It can transport up to nine passengers in the comfort of a pressurized cabin, transforming private and business travel, EMS, SAR, offshore operations and patrol, serving those in both the private and government sectors.

To date, the program has logged nearly 1,900 flight hours in the U.S. and Italy. Users will be provided with comprehensive support and training packages, primarily headquartered at Leonardo’s new Training Academy in Philadelphia. Opened in 2021, the Academy is home to AW609 full-flight simulator.